Container construction and parts therefor or the like



Oct. 4, 1966 M. T. FARQUHAR 3,276,662

CONTAINER CONSTRUCTION AND PARTS THEREFOR OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 5;,1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. MELVi LLE T. FARQUHAR )lfWu/ Hi8ATTORNEYS Oct. 4, 1966 M. T. FARQUHAR 3,276,652

CONTAINER CONSTRUCTION AND PARTS THEREFOR OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 4, 19652 Sheets-Sheet z ,INVENTOR. MELViLLE T. FARQUHAR sy f HIS ATTORNEYSUnited States Patent 3,276,662 CONTAINER CONSTRUCTION AND PARTS THEREFOROR THE LIKE Melville T. Farquhar, Bon Air, Va., assignor to ReynoldsMetals Company, Richmond, Va., a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 4,1965, Ser. No. 430,296 7 Claims. (Cl. 229-43) This invention relates toan improved container const-ruction as well as to improved parts andblanks for making such a container construction or the like.

It is well known that many food products and the like are merchandisedin substantially rectangular container constructions comprising topmembers and bottom members disposed in telescoping relation so that thebottom member will serve as a tray-like member when the top member isuntelescoped therefrom, the top and bottom members respectively having acentral rectangular panel integrally interconnected to side wall meansat the sides edges thereof.

Since the bottom member of the container can act as a pan or tray forthe product during a subsequent heating operation in an oven or thelike, such as for brown and serve rolls and the like, the bottom membercan be lined with metallic foil.

However, according to the teachings of this invention, it was found thatthe bottom member need not be as tall as the rolls therein whereby thetop member could be so constructed and arranged that the same Would betaller than the bottom member and not be lined with metallic foil as thetop and bottom members would not fully telescope relative to each otherwhereby the top member would never come into contact with the product inthe container. member be more economical because of the reduced heightthereof, but also the top member would be more economical because thesame need not be lined with metallic foil or the like.

This feature is accomplished by a unique arrangement wherein the bottommember has a smaller height than the height of the top member telescopedtherewith while the bottom member is prevented from being fullytelescoped within the top member.

Further, the bottom members have in the past been so folded for storageand shipment thereof that all of the wall means thereof have a naturaltendency to fold inwardly even when the same is disposed in assembledrelationship with its associated top member whereby a substantiallyrigid container construction is prevented.

According to the teachings of this invention, however, an improvedcontainer construction is provided wherein certain of the side wallmeans of the bottom member have a natural tendency to fold outwardly andare prevented from folding outwardly by certain side wall means of thetop member. The bottom member also has the other side wall means thereoftending to naturally fold inwardly and are prevented from foldinginwardly by the other side wall means of the top member whereby asubstantially rigid container construction is provided by thisinvention.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvedcontainer construction or the like having one or more of the novelfeatures set forth above or hereinafter shown or described.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved part for sucha container construction or the like.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved blank forsuch a container construction or the like.

Thus, not only would the bottom 3,276,662 Patented Oct. 4, 1966 "iceOther objects, uses and advantages of this invention are apparent from areading of this description, which proceeds with reference to theaccompanying drawings forming a part thereof and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the improved container construction ofthis invention.

' FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the bottom member of the containerconstruction of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE '3 is a perspective view of the top member of the containerconstruction of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the blank of this invention for forming thebottom member illustrated in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view illustrating the shipping and storingposition for the bottom member of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 6 is a plan view illustrating the improved blank of thisinvention for forming the top member of FIGURE 3.

While the various features of this invention are hereinafter describedas being particularly adaptable for providing a container constructionfor food products and the like, it is to be understood that the variousfeatures of this invention can be utilized singly or in any combinationthereof to provide container constructions for other products or thelike.

Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to only the embodimentsillustrated in the drawings, because the drawings are merely utilized toillustrate one of the wide variety of uses of this invention.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, the improved container construction of thisinvention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 10 andcomprises a top member 11 and a bottom member 12 disposed in assembledtelescoping relation to define a product receiving compartmenttherebetween, the container construction 10 having a suitabletransparent overwrap 13 covering the same if desired.

The top member 11 of the container construction 10 of this inventionincludes a rectangular top panel 14 having depending side wall means 15,16, 17 and .18 integrally interconnected thereto and being held atsubstantially right angles relative thereto in a manner hereinafterdescribed.

For example, the top member 10 illustrated in FIGURE 3 can be formedfrom a blank 19 of this invention illustrated in FIGURE 6. The blank 19can be formed of any suitable material, such as cardboard or the like,either remaining plain or having metallic foil laminated thereto orother films and the like.

The blank 19 is suitably cut and scored to define the rectangular toppanel 14 having the side wall means 15, 16, 17 and 18 integrallyinterconnected thereto and respectively defined by scores 20," 21, 22and 23.

The side wall means 15 and 17 have interconnecting flaps 2 4 integrallyinterconnected thereto and defined by the scores 21 and 2 3 and beingseparated fromthe side wall means 16 and 18 by die cuts 25.

The side wall means 16 and 1 8 respectively have the outer cornersthereof cut away at 26 for a purpose hereinafter described to definenotches 27 in the assembled top member '10 as illustrated in FIGURE 3,the interconnecting flaps 24 having the corners thereof cut away at'2 8to correspond to the cut away portions 26 of the side wall means 16 and18 to define the notches 27 in'a manner now to be described.

The side wall means 1 6 and 18 of the blank 19 are angularly scored byscores 29 adjacent the cut out portion 26 thereof for a purposehereinafter described.

In order to erect the blank 19 into the top member 10, the side Wallmeans 15 18 are bent at right angles relative to the top panel 14 at thescores 20, 21, 22 and 23 and the interconnecting panels 24 are bent atright angles relative to the side wall means 15 and 17 on the scores 22and 23 so that the interconnecting flaps 24 can be secured by suitableadhesive or the like to the inside surfaces of the side wall means .16and 18 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 3 to hold the side wall means15- 18 at right angles relative to the top panel 14.

The bottom member 12 as illustrated in FIGURE 2 has a substantiallyrectangular bottom panel 30 integrally interconnected to side walls 31,32, 33 in a manner now to be described.

As illustrated in FIGURE 4, the bottom member 12 is adapted to be formedfrom a substantially rectangular blank 35 formed of cardboard or thelike, either remaining plain or being laminated with foil or other filmmaterial as described, and being suitably cut and scored to define therectangular bottom panel 30 with the side wall means 31, 3-2, 33 and 34being integrally interconnected thereto and defined by scores 36, 37, 38and 39.

The opposed side wall means 31 and 33 have interconnecting flaps 40integrally interconnected thereto and being defined by the scores 37 and39, each interconnecting flap 40 being separated from its respectiveside wall means 32 or 34 by .a die cut 41.

The opposed side wall means 31 and 33 are angul-arly scored by scores 42for a purpose hereinafter described.

When it is desired to erect the blank 35 into a bottom member 12, theside wall means 3134 are bent at right angles relative to the bottompanel 30 and the interconnecting flaps 40 are bent at right anglesrelative to their side wall means 31 and 33 so as to be disposed againstthe inside surfaces of the side wall means 32 and 34 whereby the samecan be secured thereto by a suitable adhesive or the like.

Thereafter, the erected bottom wall member 12 has the side wall mean-s32 and 34 folded downwardly against the bottom panel 30 while theopposed side wall means 31 and 33 are folded outwardly along the angularscores 42 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 6 whereby the assembledbottom member 12 can be stored and shipped in the flat form illustratedin FIGURE 5.

Thus, when the folded bottom member 12 is erected from the positionillustrated in FIGURE back to the position illustrated in FIGURE 2, itcan be seen that the side Wall means 32 and 34 have a natural tendencyto fold inwardly while the opposed side wall means 311 and 33 have anatural tendency to fold outwardly as indicated by the arrows in FIGURE2.

However, when the erected bottom member 12 has the desired productdisposed therein and an assembled top member 11 is telescoped therewithin the manner illustrated in FIGURE 1, it can be seen that the opposedside wall means and 17 of the top member 11 are disposed outboard of theside wall means .31 and 33 of the bottom member 12 to tend to preventthe side wall means 31 and 33 to naturally fold outwardly.

Also, it can be seen that the side wall means 31 and 33 of the bottommember 12 are received in the notches 27 of the top member 11 wherebythe opposed side wall means 16 and 18 of the top member 11 can betelescoped inside the side wall means 32 and 34 of the bottom member 12.In this manner, the side wall means 16 and 18 of the top member 11 tendto prevent the side wall means 32 and 34 of the bottom member 12 fromfolding inwardly in the manner fully illustrated in FIGURE 1, the sidewall means 16 and 1 8 being readily insertable behind the side wallmeans 32 and 34 of the bottom member 12 by means of the scores 29 in theside wall means 116 and 1 8 of the top member 11 and because the sidewall means 16 and 18 have the corners thereof cut away at 26 to providetuck-in flaps.

Thus, it can be seen that the side Wall means of the top member 11 tendsto hold the side wall means of the bottom member 12 in its erectedposition to provide a substantially rigid rectangular container whichcan be suitably overwrapped by the overwrapping means 13 in the man- 4ner illustrated in FIGURE 1 for the merchandising of the same.

Further, the side walls 16 and 18 of the top member 11 prevent thebottom member 12 from being fully telescoped into the top member 11 tocrush the product disposed therein.

In this manner, the bottom member 12 need not be as tall as the topmember 11 and the top member 11 need not be lined as the top member neednot come into contact with the product in the container 10.

For example, the container 10 could be utilized for brown and server-olls wherein the bottom member 12 can be lined with metallic foil sothat the bottom member 12 can be used as a tray for heating the rolls inan oven or the like. However, the bottom member 12 need not be as tallas the rolls and the top member 11 need not be lined with metallic foilas the top member 11 will not come into contact with the product becausethe notches 27 in the sides 16 and 18 prevent the bottom member 12 frombeing pushed completely into the top member 11.

Therefore, an economical package construction 10 is provided for brownand serve rolls or the like. However, it is to be understood that thepackage construction 10 and parts thereof can be utilized for otherpurposes as desired.

Accordingly, it can be seen that this invention not only provides animproved container construction having novel features heretoforeunobtainable in the prior art, but also this invention provides improvedparts and blanks for making such a container construction or the like.

While the form of the invention now preferred has been disclosed asrequired by statute, other forms may be used, all coming within thescope of the claimed subject matter which follows.

What is claimed is:

1. A container construction comprising a top member and a bottom memberdisposed in telescoping relation, said members each having two pairs ofopposed side wall means, said top member having a top wall means andhaving a lower edge defined by coplanar free edges of all of said sidewall means thereof, said bottom member having a bottom wall means andhaving an upper edge defined by coplanar free edges of all of said sidewall means thereof, said side wall means of said bottom member having aheight smaller than the height of said side wall means of said topmember, said members being telescoped together so that said bottom wallmeans of said bottom member is substantially flush with said lower edgeof said top member with said upper edge of said bottom member beingspaced from said top wall means of said top member, said members beingso constructed and arranged that said bottom member cannot telescopefully into said top member beyond the lower edge of said top memberwhereby said bottom member can have product means received therein thatproject above said upper edge thereof and will not be engaged by saidtop wall means of said top member, certain of said side wall means ofsaid top member being outboard of certain of said side wall means ofsaid bottom member and certain other of said side wall means of said topmember being inboard of certain other of said side wall means of saidbottom member.

2. A container as set forth in claim 1 wherein said top member hasnotches formed in said side wall means thereof and cooperating with saidside wall means of said bottom member to limit the telescoping relationof said top member and said bottom member.

3. A container construction comprising a top member and a bottom memberdisposed in telescoping relation, said members each having two pairs ofopposed side wall means, one pair of side wall means of said top memberhaving notches therein adjacent said other pair of side wall means ofsaid top member, one pair of said side wall means of said bottom memberhaving a natural tendency to fold inwardly and being held from foldinginwardly by said one pair of side wall means of said top member beingdisposed inboard of said one pair of side wall means of said bottommember, the other pair of side wall means of said bottom member beingreceived in said notches of said top member and having a naturaltendency to fold outwardly but being held from folding outwardly by theother pair of side Wall means of said top member being disposed outboardof said other pair of side wall means of said bottom member, said topmember having a top wall means and having a lower edge thereof definedby coplanar free edges of all of said side wall means thereof, saidbottom member having a bottom wall means and having an upper edgedefined by coplanar free edges of all of said side wall means thereof,said side wall means of said bottom member having a height smaller thanthe height of said side wall means of said top member, said membersbeing telesooped together so that said bottom wall means of said bottommember is substantially flush with said lower edge of said top memberwith said upper edge of said bottom member being spaced from said topwall means of said top member, said members being so constructed andarranged that said bottom member can not telescope fully within said topmember beyond the lower edge of said top member whereby said bottommember can have product means received therein that project above saidupper edge thereof, and will not be engaged by said top wall means ofsaid top member.

4. A container construction as set forth in claim 3 wherein said otherpair of side Wall means of said top member has flaps integrallyinterconnected thereto, said flaps being secured to said one pair ofside wall means of said top member.

5. A container construction as set forth in claim 3 wherein said onepair of side wall means of said top member is angularly scored tofacilitate insertion of said one pair of side wall means of said topmember inboard of said one pair of side wall means of said bottommember.

6. A container construction as set forth in claim 3 wherein said otherpair of side wall means of said bottom member has flaps integrallyinterconnected thereto, said flaps being secured to said one of sidewalls means of said bottom member.

7. A container construction as set forth in claim 3 wherein said otherpair of side wall means of said bottom member is angularly scored tofacilitate the folding outwardly of said other pair of side wall meansof said bottom member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 936,986 10/ 1909Conley 229-31 1,075,706 10/ 1913 Fordon et al. 229-31 1,357,519 11/ 1920Russell 229-32 1,548,494 8/1925 Van Wormer 229-31 1,760,325 5/1930 Small229-31 X 2,053,595 9/1936 Belsinger 229-23 2,159,378 5/1939 Hoag 229-312,265,279 12/ 1941 Graf 229-31 X 2,295,532 9/ 1942 Hyndman et a1 229-31X 2,581,105 1/ 1952 Huntsworth 229-23 2,858,968 11/ 1958 Pellaton 229-373,027,062 3/1962 Huss et al. 229-23 3,128,725 4/1964 Decker et a1 206-47X FOREIGN PATENTS 364,566 12/ 1931 Great Britain.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Examiner.

D. T. MOORHEAD, Assistant Examiner.

1. A CONTAINER CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING A TOP MEMBER AND A BOTTOM MEMBERDISPOSED IN TELESCOPING RELATION, SAID MEMBERS EACH HAVING TWO PAIRS OFOPPOSED SIDE WALL MEANS, SAID TOP MEMBER HAVING A TOP WALL MEANS ANDHAVING A LOWER EDGE DEFINED BY COPLANAR FREE EDGES OF ALL OF SAID SIDEWALL MEANS THEREOF, SAID BOTTOM MEMBER HAVING A BOTTOM WALL MEANS ANDHAVING AN UPPER EDGE DEFINED BY COPLANAR FREE EDGES OF ALL OF SAID SIDEWALL MEANS THEREOF, SAID SIDE WALL MEANS OF SAID BOTTOM MEMBER HAVING AHEIGHT SMALLER THAN THE HEIGHT OF SAID SIDE WALL MEANS OF SAID TOPMEMBER, SAID MEMBERS BEING TELESCOPE TOGETHER SO THAT SAID BOTTOM WALLMEANS OF SAID BOTTOM MEMBER IS SUBSTANTIALLY FLUSH WITH SAID LOWER EDGEOF SAID TOP MEMBER WITH SAID UPPER EDGE OF SAID BOTTOM MEMBER BEINGSPACED FROM SAID TOP WALL MEANS OF SAID TOP MEMBER, SAID MEMBERS BEINGSO CONTRUCTED AND ARRANGED THAT SAID BOTTOM MEMBER CANNOT TELESCOPEFULLY INTO SAID TOP MEMBER BEYOND THE LOWER EDGE OF SAID TOP MEMBERWHEREBY SAID BOTTOM MEMBER CAN HAVE PRODUCT MEANS RECEIVED THEREIN THATPROJECT ABOVE SAID UPPER EDGE THEREOF AND WILL NOT ENGAGED BY SAID TOPWALL MEANS OF SAID TOP MEMBER, CERTAIN OF MEANS OF SAID TOP MEMBER BEINGOUTBOARD OF CERTAIN OF SAID SIDE WALL MEANS OF SAID BOTTOM MEMBER ANDCERTAIN OTHER OF SAID SIDE WALL MEANS OF SAID TOP MEMBER BEING INBOARDOF CERTAIN OTHER OF SAID SIDE WALL MEANS OF SAID BOTTOM MEMBER.